FCP National Falls 80-87 at DME in Tight Road Battle — Game Recap

Florida Coastal Prep’s National team fell 80-87 in a road contest at DME Academy on Saturday, a seven-point defeat in a game that was contested well into the final minutes and underscored the narrow margins separating the top programs in SIAA post-grad competition.

DME is one of the most consistently competitive programs in Florida prep basketball and playing on their floor is among the tougher road tests the National team will face on this year’s schedule. FCP scored 80 points — a total that wins many games — and still came up short. The Spartans matched DME’s pace through the first half and the game remained within reach in the fourth quarter, but a stretch of efficient scoring by the home team in the final period proved difficult to overcome. Defensive breakdowns in transition and a lower free throw conversion rate than the coaching staff would like were the primary factors that gave DME the margin they needed.

Eighty points on the road at a program of this caliber is not nothing. The National team’s offensive output in this loss reflects real development since November, when the squad was still finding its footing. The task now is to translate those offensive improvements into a full four-quarter defensive performance that can keep pace in the final minutes of games against elite prep opposition. Fans can follow the National team on Instagram at @flcoastalprep.

Players interested in post-grad basketball at Florida Coastal Prep can apply at floridacoastalprep.com/apply/.